Thursday, July 3, 2014

Today for lunch I had shredded kale salad with grilled chicken, bacon, egg, and poppy seed dressing. Had a seltz too! Bacon... I know. But it makes the kale go down real smooth! Actually this flavor combo is really good. Something about the bitter greens, salty bacon, creamy eggs, and sweet dressing together.

Today I did a Jonathan Bailor eccentric strength workout that I got from this book (which I most definitely did not pay $43.99 for!).

I'm reading this book for extra motivation to clean up my diet. It's been around a while and this is my first time reading it. Not sure why that is. I love nutrition books! I'm such a nerd.

My cray cray husband is very skeptical about this food journaling buisiness. He thinks it will help me to crave pizza rather than help me eat healthier. He also gets really annoyed when I take pictures of my food. SUCK IT HUSBAND I'M DOING IT ANYWAY.

Also, I def did not eat lunch in the garden. It was raining. Ok, it was drizzling... The point is, I ate it inside on the couch while watching Toddlers & Tiaras on Netflix, and I'm not ashamed of that. If I was, I def would not have put it on the internet.

Yo I'm getting mad fat so I'm going to start food journaling. It works for other people so maybe it will work for me. Here's my breakfast: vanilla greek yogurt, blueberries, an egg, and iced coffee with cream. Word to yo coffee.

Monday, February 4, 2013

I haven't blogged in a while. I know. But I want to be able to look back years from now and remember how I feel today, the day after the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl. Just pure elation. I can't even describe it. I thought I would cry, but the tears never came. We've been so close for so many years, and now that it's happened, it doesn't feel real.

Towards the end of the regular season, I found myself saying, "It's just not our year." I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's true. Then Ray announced his retirement, and I quickly changed my mindset to, "it has to be our year." And to think, it was. WOW.

The last quarter of the game, I was physically ill, and we had to put the TV on mute. I just couldn't take one more moment of the circular and self-contradictory rhetoric the sportscasters were spewing all over my eardrums. I get it, it's their job to keep talking, and talking, and talking. It must be a hard job to keep talking even after you've run out of things to say and been wrong conclusion and prediction alike. But I could not take another moment of it. So I muted the TV, and was much calmer for it. Not that I was calm at all.

When that clock hit 0:00, I screamed so hard I was dizzy and saw spots. Joe and I hugged and kissed and high-fived, opened the back door to scream some more in to the darkness, and listen to the joyful reactions of our neighbors. I called my mom so that I could share the moment with her. I let out tearless sobs of jubilation. I kissed my pooch. I watched the players celebrate on the TV, and recognized the same incredulous exhilaration I felt all over their faces.

One of the coolest parts of the day was not during the game at all; it was at the grocery store around 3pm to pick up some eggs. Every single person in the grocery store was decked out head-to-toe in their full Ravens regalia. The air was electric with hope and excitement. It was so festive and emotional and just wonderful. Best of all, our players know how much they and their game means to this city and all of us fans. Of course they play the game for themselves, but they do it for us too. I am so proud of all of our men who went out there and fought for something that means so much to all of us. Football is more than just a game here in B-more; it's EVERYTHING. And today, this city has everything and more.

Friday, September 7, 2012

I had to push back a 20 mile training run by 2 days due to unforeseen circumstances. And also sit out of a 5k. There's no way I'm doing a 5k 16 hours (or worse, 2 hours) after a 20 mile run. What bums me out most is the fact that I carbo-loaded last night.

You can call me Mrs. New Booty from now on. At least Mr. New Booty is pleased!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

The night before the race, I laid out my clothes, and my sports bra kindly reminded me that I am, in fact, a running n00b.

It was the Ben Moore Memorial race in Annapolis, which was kind of a strange race. I mean, I don't even know who that dude is. And I so do not live in Annapolis. I had to get up at 4:45 am just to make it on time, which was super lame. Just saying. I had a goal set of 2:00:00, and just barely missed it coming in at 2:02:46. Very close.

I know it's kind of lame, but I don't really have much else to say about this race. I mean, I did it, which is great. I'm proud of myself and all. But....that's it. very anticlimactic.

I guess when you're training for a full marathon, the half just feels like training, even if its your first official half.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

As you may or may not know, I'm training for my first marathon in October. In my training, I've run two half-marathon distances, and signed up for my first half-marathon as well, which is in 2 weeks (eeeekk!).

I bought myself a 13.1 car magnet on Amazon.com, and when it came in the mail, I wondered whether I could put it on my car now. I mean, I have run 13.1 miles twice. But I haven't run a 13.1 mile race yet. I did decide to put the magnet on my car, but I googled it anyway to see whether you're supposed to run a real race first.

I didn't find out the answer to my question because of the baffling negativity toward people who run half marathons from runners and non-runners alike. People who run half marathons were referred to as "quitters" and "failures." People who placed 13.1 stickers on their cars were criticized even more harshly for bragging about only making it half-way. Here is a quote from a forum that I absolutely refuse to link to because I do not want it to get any more attention: "Putting those stickers on your car is the equivalent of putting one on that says "I was too much of a pussy to run the whole race."". Written by a non-runner btw.

WTF?

I know that nobody (other than my mother) reads this blog, but this is just something I feel like I have to say.

Seeing 13.1 and 26.2 stickers on cars every single day while I shopped, sat in traffic, or drove to my running group inspired me to train for this marathon. The stickers showed me that people who run marathons and half-marathons are regular people who sit in rush hour traffic just like me; not super-humans to whom I could never relate nor aspire to be like. They brought the marathon back down to earth, and helped me to believe that I can do it too. I can honestly say that if I had not seen so many of these car stickers, the likelihood that I would be running a marathon this fall would be much, much slimmer. And once I complete the full marathon, I sure as hell will place a 26.2 sticker on my car.

Is it bragging? Yes, partially. I will be so proud of myself, and I'll want to sing it to the world. But I know that these stickers will also inspire people, like they did for me.

For what it's worth, I also see no reason why anyone should poo poo on other running distance stickers. 5k sticker? Great! Running a 5k is a completely different experience than a longer run, yes. But that doesn't mean that less effort is put into each minute. In a 5k race you run harder and faster the entire time, put in 100%, and leave the race feeling contentedly exhausted.I even saw a 0.5 sticker for a crossfit enthusiast, which I thought was fantastic and worthy of a brag. If you only had to run 0.5 mile, would you run it at a marathon pace? NO! You'd go balls to the walls, and put it in everything you had. About once per week, I will run one single mile as fast as I possibly can and leave it at that. Afterward I wheeze for half as long as it took to run the damn mile, barely able to move. I can imagine that if I was running half of that distance, I'd feel the same way when I was done; as thought I couldn't possibly take another step.

Don't be ashamed, and don't let the cyber-bullying-ass-hat-wearing-dick-cheeses of the world make you feel bad about yourself for the things you choose to do with your spare time or the stickers you choose to place on your car.

About Me

My name is SJ, I'm 25 years old, and I live in the Baltimore suburbs with my husband, Joe, and my baby dog, Winnie. I am wholeheartedly devoted to the BALTIMORE RAVENS (YEAH BABY) and the slow, methodical, ritualistic, spiritual dance that is eating blue crabs (DOUBLE YEAH BABY YEAH BABY!). I cook some, I run a bit and I read a lot, especially about zombies. Also, I am a self-proclaimed potato chip connoisseur, and if you must know, I highly recommend Martin's Red Hot and Grandma Utz. You can thank me later. Also, I cuss a lot. Fuckers.